Sunday, June 29, 2008

Things learned so far

"Koremade wakatta koto"

Things learned so far

So it's my first season of gardening (the three years or so of growing herbs on the veranda doesn't count). June is almost gone and I've learned a few things.

1. Plants will probably grow taller than the support poles you buy for them. When in doubt, buy the longer poles, unless you want to have to improvise...badly.

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I do have an excuse...I wasn't planning on growing morning glories. Our neighbor gave the pot to us, sans poles, and I used what poles I had. The vines wrapped themselves around the bamboo poles, we blinked, and the poles were suddenly too short.

Then again, those poles are too short for the tomatos as well. And yes, that's duct tape I used. Hey, at least it matches the color of the bamboo.

2. If you want to have cilantro for cooking all summer, you probably should plant or buy (probably the former, since the gardening stores don't have cilantro plants after late May) once a month.

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At least I'll have seeds to plant...

3. If you plant one kind of flower at once, they will bloom at once and they will die at once. (No photo for this one, it's just too sad)

4. If you want to enjoy edameme with cold beer while the idea of cold beer is still appealing, you should probably plant them before the last week of June.

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I've heard they're pretty hardy and grow fast, so I haven't given up entirely. I'm hoping I'll have a harvest sometime late September.

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I think this looks OK...impatiens and tomatos grow well together.